Chrysanthemum plant named ‘COMO RED’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Como Red’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and decorative-type inflorescences with dark red-colored ray florets.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘COMO RED’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum X morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘COMO RED’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new uniformly mounding and freelyflowering Chrysanthemum plants with unique and attractive ray floretcoloration.

The new Chrysanthemum plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in October, 2012 in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium of aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as codenumber GE06 8796, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as codenumber GE07 9359, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newChrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment inOostnieuwkerke, Belgium in October, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings was first conducted in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium in January, 2014. Asexualreproduction by vegetative terminal cuttings has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Como Red’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Como Red’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemumplant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and uniformly rounded plant        habit; vigorous growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Decorative-type inflorescences with dark red-colored ray        florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily fromplants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more uniformly rounded        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about four to five        weeks later than plants of the female parent selection.    -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are dark red        in color whereas ray florets of plants of the female parent        selection are dark violet in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the maleparent selection. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily fromplants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more uniformly rounded        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three weeks        later than plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more        intensely dark red than ray florets of plants of the male parent        selection.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Gedi Two Cam’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat.No. 14,472. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemumdiffer primarily from plants of ‘Gedi Two Cam’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more vigorous than plants        of ‘Gedi Two Cam’.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about three weeks        later than plants of ‘Gedi Two Cam’.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are smaller        than inflorescences of plants of ‘Gedi Two Cam’.    -   4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more        intensely dark red than ray florets of plants of ‘Gedi Two Cam’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Como Red’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in 19-cm containers in an outdoornursery in Oostnieuwkerke, Belgium during the summer and autumn andunder cultural practices generally used in commercial Chrysanthemumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 20° C. to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 12° C. to 18°C. Plants were 20 weeks old when the photograph and detailed descriptionwere taken. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007, Fifth Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Como Red’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number GE06            8796, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum X morifolium identified as code number GE07            9359, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 20 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 40 days            at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically light brown in            color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,            substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Perennial decorative-type Chrysanthemum; stems            upright and outwardly spreading giving a uniformly rounded            appearance to the plant; plants roughly spherical; very            freely branching habit, about 25 primary lateral branches            develop, each primary lateral branch with multiple secondary            branches; pinching enhances lateral branch development;            dense and full plant habit; vigorous growth habit; plants            flexible, not brittle.        -   Plant height.—About 35 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 50 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm            to 3 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength: Strong,            flexible. Texture: Pubescent, fine; longitudinally ridged.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 3 cm            to 4.5 cm. Width: About 2 cm to 3 cm. Apex: Rounded to            cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed and            serrate, sinuses between lateral lobes divergent to            parallel. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly            pubescent. Venation: Palmately reticulate. Color: Developing            leaves, upper surface: Close to 137C. Developing leaves,            lower surface: Close to 137D. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to N137C; venation, close to 148C. Fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,            close to 147B to 147C. Petioles: Length: About 1 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Slightly pubescent; rough. Color, upper surface: Close to            146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D. Stipules: Length:            About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Slightly pubescent; rough. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 137A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form;            inflorescences borne on terminals above foliar plane; disc            and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pungent.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower in late September in Belgium; flowering response            time, about 35 days.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good color            and substance for about 35 days in an outdoor nursery;            inflorescences persistent.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 20 inflorescences develop            per lateral branch.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About            1 cm. Shape: Globular. Color: Close to 59A.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4 cm.        -   Inflorescence depth (height).—About 3 cm.        -   Disc diameter.—About 5 mm; inconspicuous.        -   Receptacle diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Receptacle height.—About 2.5 mm to 3 mm.        -   Receptacle color.—Close to 144B.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. Width: About            5 mm. Shape: Oval. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Aspect: Mostly flat. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Number of ray            florets per inflorescence: About 150 arranged in about eight            whorls. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Close to 53A; color becoming closer to 185B with            development. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:            Close to 185B; color does not change with development.        -   Disc florets.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm to            1 mm. Shape: Tubular; apices acute. Number of disc florets            per inflorescence: About 75 to 100 massed at the center of            the inflorescence. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            glossy. Color, immature: Distally, close to 144C;            mid-section, close to 5B; proximally, close to 145D. Color,            mature: Close to 12A.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 25            arranged in two or three whorls. Length: About 4 mm to 6 mm.            Width: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Rounded.            Base: Rounded to truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:            Close to 137A. Color, lower surface: Close to N137B.        -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 4 cm. Length,            fourth peduncle: About 6 cm. Length, seventh peduncle: About            8 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: About 30° from vertical.            Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent.            Color: Close to 146B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:            Not observed.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date seed and fruit production have not            been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have    demonstrated excellent garden performance and will tolerate    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 45° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘ComoRed’ as illustrated and described.